President Barack Obama has swiftly taken action every day since his election to deal with every aspect of the problems confronting the United States by:

Restarting the economy

Working to eliminate nuclear weapons

Working with Congress to pass and implement an effective Health Care Reform bill and policy to make good health care affordable for all Americans

Developing new alternative energy sources to wean us away from oil

Working every day to effectively end two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan with a strategy that utilizes a combination of hard and soft power to create value and peace in each region

Working to bring all nations together in making the United Nations an effective body for dialogue, diplomacy to jointly solve world problems like poverty, health, war, education, climate change, and pollution.

Interview about the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

The Reasons President Obama Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize

Geir Lundestad, Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in the above interview:

Nobel mentions that this should be for achievement in the preceding year and this indeed is for achievements in the preceding year.

And he mentions three criteria

1) Fraternity between nations

Obama has done an awful lot for fraternity between nations…

2) Reduction in standing armies

He has produced the vision of a nuclear free world and we are expecting very substantial arms control agreements and

3) The holding of peace congresses

The modern version of course is international diplomacy

So we feel that this decision is very closely based on Alfred Nobel’s will. We basically feel he has produced a new international climate:

The emphasis is again on the UN and the multilateral institutions

The emphasis is on dialogue and negotiations

The emphasis is on arms control and disarmament–the zero option

The emphasis is on a new climate agreement with the U.S. being a very important partner and

The emphasis is on democracy and human rights.

He has produced an entirely new international climate

President Obama supports the ideals of the Nobel Committee

The Nobel Committee awarded President Obama the prize to encourage his efforts to continue on the path of supporting the ideals of the 108 years of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee established by Alfred Nobel. Geir Lundestad, Secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said:

“And when Obama then comes along and we have this wonderful spokesperson, we feel he has achieved something by changing the tone and the climate and we want to give him whatever support he can get in producing concrete results based on these ideals.”

President Obama on Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

President Obama said in the above video in front of the White House on Oct. 9, 2009:

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

…I know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not been used just to honor specific achievement, it’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And, that is why I will accept this Nobel Peace Prize as a Call to Action. A call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st Century.

These challenges can’t be met by any one leader or any one nation, and that’s why my administration has worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek. We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations and in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people. And that is why we have begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons.

The Critics from the Back Gallery

It is absurd that critics of President Obama are claiming he should not accept the peace prize. A recent article in the New York Times by Ross Douthat, “Heckuva Job, Barack,” is demeaning and ridiculous. Douthat claims President Obama should not accept the Nobel Peace Prize because he is only in his first year as President of the U.S. If Dick Cheney or George Bush were awarded the peace prize, would Douthat tell them to return it? The length of time a person has spent in office does not necessarily determine the quality or effectiveness of their administration.

What has President Obama set in motion against the tide of criticism, abuse and sarcastic skeptics? His efforts to change many misguided policies of his predecessor are like trying to push a boulder up a hill. He has made much progress in just nine months and it is clear that he is not ruffled by the constant barrage from critics who only want to tear him down with their petty and often times racist comments.

There are so many important issues confronting Americans each day. We need everyone to work together to solve the basic issues of poverty, education, health care, violence and the economy. While it is fine to present alternative points of view to the President or to any group, it is not OK to be purposely demeaning and disrespectful without providing substantive constructive suggestions.

It is time to end the mean spirited attacks of those who yell loudly from the back gallery because they want attention to turn to them and their ideas. The reality is that the people of America spoke clearly in the last election for positive change. However, instead of looking at the facts, there are media personalities and politicians who want to confuse and scare the public instead of educate or inform them.

The Need to Educate Everyone to be Critical Thinkers

We need to help the next generation to be real problem solvers who are able to be creative thinkers and doers in meeting and overcoming the challenges that will confront them in the 21st Century and beyond. The real value of education is to enable each person of all ages, to be able to feel comfortable in engaging in civil dialogue in order to participate in the solution of various issues.

Are we training young people to be critical thinkers?

Bottom Line: President Obama Deserves the Award

Based on the criteria set forth by the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize, it is clear that President Barack Obama deserves to be awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. This is an award that reflects the positive new direction of sustained engagement for a nuclear free world President Obama is charting for the United States and the world.

Campaign for Civil Discourse Please

It is possible to dialogue, debate and disagree in a respectful manner. Join the campaign for promoting true civil discourse in the U.S. and the world. Isn't it time we learned to find common ground. After all, we live together on this beautiful blue planet.